Systems, methods and devices for relaying communications between network devices

Abstract

Provided are systems, devices and methods pertaining to the relaying of communications between a launch computer and a target computer in a manner which obscures at least the launch computer as a participant in the communications. Outbound traffic from the launch follows an outbound relay route which includes at least one intermediary relay computer, while reply traffic from the target computer follows a return relay route also including at least one intermediary relay computer. The outbound and return routes may be either the same or different, and one or more of the intermediary computer(s) may be kept unwitting of their role in the communications.

1 . A relay system, comprising: 
 a. a first network communications device adapted to communicate according to a layered communications protocol that is characterized by a protocol stack, said first network communications device configured: 
 i. to send an outbound packet destined for a second network communications device such that the outbound packet is transmitted along a predetermined first relay route therebetween; and  
 ii. to receive a reply packet originating from the second network communications device, which reply packet is transmitted along a predetermined second relay route therebetween; and  
   b. a relay subnet defining the predetermined first and second relay routes, said relay subnet including at least one intermediary network communications device which forwards: 
 i. said outbound packet to the second network communications device without revealing said first communications device as the originator of the outbound packet; and  
 ii. said reply packet to said first network communications device.  
   
   
   
       2 . A relay system for transmitting outbound packets via an outbound relay subnet along an outbound relay route and for transmitting reply packets via a return relay subnet along a return relay route, said relay system comprising: 
 a. a launch computer adapted to communicate according to a layered communications protocol that is characterized by a protocol stack, said launch computer configured: 
 i. for each respective outbound packet destined for a selected target computer, to incorporate into the outbound packet associated outbound routing information, prior to continued processing by the protocol stack;  
 ii. for each respective outbound packet not destined for the target computer, to allow said outbound packet to be normally processed by the protocol stack; for each respective inbound packet arriving from a relay computer along the return relay subnet, to convert the respective inbound packet into one which corresponds to a reply transmission from the target computer prior to continued processing by the protocol stack; and  
 iii. for each respective inbound packet arriving from a non-relay computer along the return relay subnet, to allow the respective relay packet to be normally processed by the protocol stack; and  
   b. at least one intermediary relay computer located along at least one of the outbound relay subnet and the return relay subnet, said intermediary relay computer adapted to communicate according to the layered communications protocol and configured: 
 i. for each respective outbound packet arriving from a preceding computer associated with the relay system, to either forward the respective outbound packet to a next outbound relay computer or the target computer; and  
 ii. for each respective reply packet arriving from a preceding computer along the return relay route, to either forward the respective return packet to a next return relay computer or said launch computer.  
   
   
   
       3 . A relay system according to  claim 2  including said target computer, and wherein said target computer has an associated target computer protocol stack and is configured: 
 a. for each respective outbound transmission packet arriving from a relay computer, to process said outbound packet by the target computer protocol stack; and    b. to transmit a reply packet to said relay computer.    
   
   
       4 . A relay system according to  claim 2  including a plurality of outbound relay computers, there being at least an initial outbound relay computer and terminal outbound relay computer.  
   
   
       5 . A relay system according to  claim 4  including a plurality of return relay computers, there being at least an initial return relay computer and a terminal return relay computer.  
   
   
       6 . A method of transmitting data between computers, comprising: 
 a. creating, at a launch computer, an outbound packet having outbound routing information corresponding to a predetermined outbound relay route;    b. transmitting said outbound packet toward a target computer via a relay subnet defining the predetermined outbound relay route;    c. modifying the outbound packet during outbound transmission through the relay subnet to produce a modified outbound packet having altered outbound routing information which does not reveal the launch computer as an origin of said modified outbound packet;    d. receiving said modified outbound packet at the target computer;    e. creating, at the target computer, a reply packet in response to the modified outbound packet, wherein said reply packet incorporates return routing information;    f. transmitting said reply packet from the target computer to the relay subnet;    g. modifying the reply packet during transmission within the relay subnet to produce a modified reply packet having altered return routing information corresponding to a predetermined return relay route; and    h. sending said modified return transmission packet to the launch computer via the predetermined return relay route.    
   
   
       7 . A method of transmitting data between computers, comprising: 
 a. sending an outbound transmission packet from a launch computer toward a target computer along an outbound relay route which includes at least one intermediary computer, whereby said target computer receives a modified outbound transmission packet which does not identify said launch computer as an origin of the modified outbound transmission packet; and    b. sending a reply transmission packet from the target computer to the intermediary computer, whereby said reply transmission packet is converted by the intermediary computer into a modified reply transmission packet and forwarded to the launch computer along a return relay route.    
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a. with respect to each outbound communication from the launch computer to the target computer: 
 i. creating an outbound relay packet at the launch computer by embedding outbound routing information within an outgoing packet that is intended for the target computer;  
 ii. transmitting the outbound relay packet through an outbound relay subnet from an initial outbound relay computer to a terminal outbound relay computer;  
 iii. removing the outbound routing information at the terminal outbound relay computer and forwarding a modified outbound relay packet to the target computer whereby the target computer identifies the terminal outbound relay computer as the source of said modified outbound relay packet; and  
   b. with respect to each reply communication from the target computer: 
 i. receiving a reply transmission packet at an initial return relay computer and embedding return routing data within the reply transmission packet to create a return relay packet intended for the launch computer; and  
 ii. transmitting the return relay packet through a return relay subnet from the initial return relay computer to the launch computer for processing.  
   
   
   
       9 . A network communications device configured for use as a participant in a relay system that includes a relay network comprising an outbound relay subnet and a return relay subnet, said network communications device comprising: 
 a. a memory storing an operating system which allows the network communications device to communicate with other computers on the relay network according to a layered communications protocol that is characterized by a protocol stack;    b. a storage device;    c. an I/O system including a network adapter for interfacing the network communications device to the relay network; and    d. a processor that is programmed: 
 i. with respect to each outbound packet destined for a selected target computer, to incorporate into the outbound packet associated outbound routing information during processing by the protocol stack;  
 ii. with respect to each outbound packet not destined for the target computer, to allow said outbound packet to be processed normally by the protocol stack;  
 iii. with respect to each inbound packet arriving from a relay computer along the return relay subnet, to convert the respective inbound packet into one corresponding to a reply transmission from the target computer during processing by the protocol stack; and  
 iv. with respect to each inbound packet arriving from a non-relay computer along the return relay subnet, to allow the respective inbound packet to be processed normally by the protocol stack.